Landholders urged to be vigilant on footrot

The Livestock Health and Pest Authorities are urging landholders to be careful when introducing sheep from interstate following the discovery of virulent footrot on a number of properties at Albury and Deniliquin over recent weeks.

While the industry has seen great success in combating the disease with the recent move to footrot protected status in NSW, footrot has not been so successfully targeted in southern states and producers should be particularly careful when bringing in sheep from these areas.

Hume Livestock Health and Pest Authority senior district vet Steve Whittaker, says sheep producers need to continue monitoring and reporting any suspected outbreaks in their flocks.

The key to the success of eradicating virulent footrot in NSW has been the strong support from the states sheep industry in cooperating with LHPAs and I&I NSW.

Any landholders purchasing sheep from outside NSW need to ensure that the stock are properly inspected by an accredited vet or stock inspector. They should also insist on a completed sheep health statement.

Stock crossing state borders into NSW should be held in isolation for as long as possible to allow the disease, if it is present, to express itself.

Importantly, landholders should immediately report lame sheep in a flock to their local LHPA vet, Mr Whittaker said.

Virulent footrot is a severe and debilitating disease with significant economic loss from reduced wool growth and quality, poor ewe fertility, poor growth rates, losses from blowfly strike and reduced value of sale sheep.

In infected flocks, there are also significant costs associated with the control of the disease.

The Livestock Health and Pest Authorities are confident NSW can maintain its protected area status with the support of sheep producers across the state.

MEDIA CONTACT: Steve Whittaker 0411 274 542 or Suzie Robinson 0428 465 378